On August 9th, President Obama signed the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 into law. As a result, borrowers of direct student loans will continue to enjoy lower interest rates in the near term. Interest rates for Direct Student Loans are fixed for the life of the loan. Student loans borrowers will have rates established in […]
Most families know this time of year is when the FAFSA must be filed. One of the most important questions the FAFSA answers is, “How much Pell Grant will I get?” The answer is like all questions related to financial aid–it depends. If you meet the eligibility requirements to receive federal student aid and have filed […]
It’s a good question to ask whether you or should parents pay for college? I will admit that I made the critical mistake of not thinking about how to pay for college until my oldest son entered high school. I don’t know if I was burying my head in the sand, hoping some magic genie […]
A new report recently released from the Project on Student Loan Debt at The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) found that the average student loan debt for those who graduated in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree was $29,200. Although in the past few years student loan debt has escalated, a number of factors may have contributed […]
No doubt you have seen the recent chatter about Niagara Falls’ new plan to lure young professionals to its city limits. According to the article published by ABC News, Niagara Falls’ population was 100,000 about 50 years ago, but it’s now closer to 50,000. If it drops under 50,000 by the time the next census occurs, […]
Have you ever wondered how some college graduates have paid off their student loans, but you are still struggling to make a dent in yours? Take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. Many students find it difficult to cover everyday living expenses and chip away at their student loan debt, too, but […]
When you purchase large ticket items, such as a home or a vehicle, it makes sense to purchase insurance to cover those investments. After all, it can be quite difficult to replace them should anything go wrong. Given that logic, wouldn’t it also be wise to seek out tuition reimbursement insurance to protect your educational […]
If the thought of coming out of college with $30,000 or more in student loan debt doesn’t sound appealing to you, I have good news; there are actually some things you can do right now to lower your estimated expenses. I know some of you are thinking that the only way you’re going to find […]
Chart the Right Course with Our Financial Aid Flowchart Let’s face it, navigating the financial aid seas can be a tumultuous process. With today’s abundance of options and offers, students have a tough task of finding the most prudent course to college funding that won’t set them adrift. Many find themselves in over their heads, […]
Have you ever come across one of those student loan horror stories? Of course you have – they’re just about everywhere. You can’t go on Twitter without at least one person moaning about how much he or she owes in student loans. On Tumblr and Pinterest, you get these sad images of students chained by […]
5 Common College Financial Aid Terms Defined If you’re the parent of a high school student, get ready to learn a new language very soon. I’m not talking about French or Spanish. The language you’ll need to be fluent in is financial aid. Although everything is in the English language, the terms and acronyms can […]
Many high school students can’t wait to leave the nest and fly far away from their parents once they finish high school. Unfortunately, the cost of attending an out-of-state college usually puts the brakes on those plans. It can be difficult for families to cover the gap between in state and out of state tuition […]
It’s no secret that many college graduates are finding it difficult to make ends meet. In today’s job market, they face longer periods of unemployment and many have been forced to accept lower paying job for which they are over-qualified. This, coupled with the increasing cost of a college education, has left many students scrambling for innovative […]
Recently, the College Board announced that tuition and fees at public, four-year colleges was expected to increase by less than 3% for the upcoming academic year. That’s the smallest growth in over 30 years, which is great news, but it still means that students will be paying more for their education than they have in previous years […]
Here’s a news flash…college is expensive. No big surprise, right? But what is surprising is how few families with children under the age of 18 are currently saving money for college. Approximately half are setting aside money in a dedicated account for their children, but most are saving less than $16,000 overall. Even at today’s tuition rates, […]
There is a lot of confusion around student loans. Some students swear that they will never take out a loan, while others cannot wait for the “free paycheck” to upgrade their computer and go to the party school of their dreams. Student loans are not the financial devil, nor are they a free-ride. Take a look at […]
Tools to Help You Make Smart College Money Decisions Next to purchasing a home, college will probably be one of the biggest financial investments you will ever make. It can be scary thinking about spending $10,000, $20,000 or even more money each year you are in school (yikes!). That’s why it’s so important to understand […]
When you think of the American Dream, is college part of the vision? I think most people would say ‘yes.’ We’ve been conditioned to follow a certain path in order to ensure our future success; do well in high school, get accepted to a good college and graduate with a degree. If you follow these […]
When the topic of student loan debt rears its ugly head, there is inevitably an argument about who is at fault for our current situation. Many believe the government should be working toward a free college system. Others strongly insist that the colleges themselves are to blame. And there are even some who feel students […]
In order to maximize your chances for both federal and state financial aid, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible on or after January 1 for each academic year in which you will need assistance. For the 2015-2016 academic year, the FAFSA became available on January 1st, 2015. You […]
Take the Time to Do Your Homework Before Borrowing Private Student Loans for the Spring Semester Now is the time to start researching private loans for students. Most colleges will be distributing tuition bills for the spring semester in the middle of December. If you need to borrow to help pay for your tuition, take […]
Where would you turn if you had exhausted your federal financial aid and still did not have enough funding through scholarships and grants to help cover your college expenses? Private students loans, right? For most students that would be the logical next step, but it’s certainly not your only option. Another option could be peer […]
In order to determine how much federal Pell Grant you will receive, you must complete the FAFSA. Once the FAFSA is processed, there are three main ingredients which determine your eligibility for Pell. The first is the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which is computed using a formula that takes into consideration all of the information you supply on the FAFSA. Rather than an absolute measure […]
Last year, CBS Money Watch published an article, “Do College Scholarship Search Engines Work?” In the piece, some well-known scholarship tools among the best scholarship website options took quite a beating, especially one of the most prominent players in the space, Fastweb. As someone who has used all of the services listed, I was surprised […]
Whether you’re a high school student, current college student, or returning adult learner, you need to have a college financial aid plan in place. Why? Well, for one thing, finding money to cover tuition, books, housing and other fees will not be limited to your freshman year of college. You will find that the amount of money you […]